


Snow on Palm Trees

by matan4il



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz First Kiss, First Kiss, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, M/M, Pining, adds a scene into the 408 ep, because, eddie diaz is beyond smitten with evan buckley, tiny bit of, to fix that ep and make it better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 15:34:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30040875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matan4il/pseuds/matan4il
Summary: He's sitting on your living room couch, his jacket already put back on. He's about to leave. He's done his duty for the night, been a great friend to you and an amazing caregiver to your son, even though he has no official ties to Chris that would compel him to help. He gets to rest now, he's earned it. You should let him go have that. But there's something that stirs in you at the sight of him. He looks sogood. No, it's more than that, he looks like he belongs here. It doesn't feel right for him to get up and walk out the door.You want to say something, make some suggestion that will get him to stay. This space would be so empty without him.But you don't really have anything to offer.Buck has put his jacket back on after babysitting Chris in 408 and is ready for his departure. Eddie isn't.My wonderful and talented friendLieselfhcreated a beautiful piece of Buddie kissing fanart (posted with the fic) that gave me the inspiring spark to write an accompanying fic.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 68
Kudos: 265





	Snow on Palm Trees

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vatrica](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vatrica/gifts), [evaneddie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/evaneddie/gifts).



> Dedicated to the incredible lovelies whose birthday we celebrated not too long ago, Dhylen and Ivana. I hope you both like your gift and that we always get to celebrate together! Lots of love to you! Also, a huge thank you to Lieselfh for the inspiration, as well as to Dani, who let me ramble about the snow we had here not too long ago, which gave me another piece of the puzzle. Love you, ladies! Another big hug goes out to the awesome [Lana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DLanaDHZ/pseuds/DLanaDHZ), for the wonderful beta'ing!

  


He's sitting on your living room couch, his jacket already put back on. He's about to leave. He's done his duty for the night, been a great friend to you and an amazing caregiver to your son, even though he has no official ties to Chris that would compel him to help. He gets to rest now, he's earned it. You should let him go have that. But there's something that stirs in you at the sight of him. He looks so _good_. No, it's more than that, he looks like he belongs here. It doesn't feel right for him to get up and walk out the door. 

You want to say something, make some suggestion that will get him to stay. This space would be so empty without him. 

But you don't really have anything to offer. 

You've known that for a long time. You're a single parent, you're recently widowed, still licking your wounds from her death and her rejection. And to top it all off, you're a man. That shouldn't matter, but it still does, especially with both of you having difficult, unaccepting parents. 

If you kiss him, that's not how the night is meant to go. And it's unknown, how would he react, would he even want it? There's a bigger number of problems and complications at the end of this option. But you're tired, worried about your son and it was so good to return home and see Buck, enjoy the comfort of his teasing and the trust you have in him with your son. Putting Chris to bed wasn't easy tonight. You have some stuff to figure out there, but you're not sure how. 

So you're not ready yet to part with the brightness that is Buck's presence. 

You don't overthink it for once. 

You just go and sit down on the couch by him. 

He looks at you and smiles, making everything about him even more beautiful. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but it's like he was waiting, hoping that you'd do exactly this. That you'd ask him not to go home yet. 

That's when it hits you. How you feel about him. 

He's snow on palm trees. 

You saw that once, when you were still a soldier stationed in the Middle East. It was hot there most of the time, almost unbearably so. But then winter came full on one year, to such a degree that it brought with it snow. You were standing in your base watching it descend like a prayer that was never made, because people beg for the desired, not the impossible, yet it was somehow answered all the same. For every previous moment when the heat was too much, the gently falling flakes brought relief and peace with them. You let them adorn your hair, your eyelashes, your uniform. The world and its problems, its burden, was nothing more than the background against which this miracle was taking place. 

More than anything you remembered that image, the snow that was covering the great, spread out leaves of the palm trees that were planted on the outskirts of the base. Your brain was having trouble processing this contrast. But your heart embraced it nevertheless and you have carried this mental picture with you, have cherished it ever since. It has brought back up a piece of that calm on occasion, despite not logically having anything to do with what's been troubling you. You're grateful for it, for having witnessed it at all and for all the good it has given you on top of that. You've found love and grace within it and thanks to it. 

And that's what Buck is to you. He's your snow on palm trees. Your split second of peace, even in the eye of a storm. 

If you kiss him, that's not how the night was meant to end, but right now, you don't want it to end at all. Your knees are touching and there's warmth and the hint of electricity coursing through the contact point. You look up at him, at his eyes shining at you and his slightly parted lips, and you know. Even if it's a mistake, you're going to do it. You'll kiss him. 

You lean forward and the world once more fades into a background. You can't tell if he's really leaning in to meet you halfway or if it's just your imagination playing tricks on you, because you want it so badly, but he's definitely not moving away. His eyes are cast down. He's watching your mouth with the same sort of rapture you could envision across your own face when you're observing his. 

You reach out for his chin and pour all of the love you've harbored for him for years now (has it really been years already?) into how carefully you angle his head for this. No matter what you do, what you need in the here and now, you never want to hurt him and you have to be certain that he feels that. 

You're surprised to discover you can tell exactly when he stops and holds his breath. It's no longer flowing along your skin. And that thrills you. Because he's anticipating this as much as you are. You angle your head to meet his lips. 

It's soft. 

It's delicate and textured, it has a scent and a sensation, engulfing you from the inside as much as it caresses you on the outside. This kiss is like nothing you've experienced before. It's a first for the two of you, but somehow, it's also timeless, like the pair of you have always been meant to find each other within this meeting of lips. 

"Stay." You back off to implore him and you don't have to guess the answer. 

"I thought you'd never ask," he replies and runs the tip of his nose along the side of yours, as if he's searching for an opening that will allow him to dive back in, to go on kissing you. So you indulge him and you both, closing your eyes and renewing your connection. The two of you touch and you touch until it's not enough anymore and the kiss turns more passionate. As you two drown in each other, you realize it's a promise. Just as this kiss is growing deeper, so will your bond. So will every exchange you have. He doesn't only belong here, he fits in with you. And you with him. The first kiss is the gateway to all the following ones you as a couple will get to share, and to discovering all the ever developing ways in which you two belong to each other. 

It's the best thing you've never dared hope for.

**Author's Note:**

> Please feel free to send me feedback, prompts, questions, anything at [my Tumblr](https://matan4il.tumblr.com/)! And thank you in advance for any kudos, comments, etc. It's all so very appreciated and helps more than you know! <33333


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